


An Unorthodox Start (2000)

by lucasquinn



Series: Sharing a World [10]
Category: Primeval, Temeraire - Naomi Novik
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Gen, dragon!AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-29
Updated: 2013-10-29
Packaged: 2017-12-30 20:48:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1023215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucasquinn/pseuds/lucasquinn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things don’t always go as we plan them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Unorthodox Start (2000)

**Author's Note:**

> This is a big jump into the AU world. Primeval but actually set in the future of the Temeraire Universe. There are still anomalies, there's still a team and there is even a research centre (yet unnamed). There has also been a slight twist in evolution somewhere along the line and one more sentient species shares the Earth with humans, dragons. Thanks to fredbassett all fics so far posted have been betaed.
> 
> One last thing, I might not have mentioned it in the intro but the number next to the title is the year the story takes place in since I tend to jump around in the timeline with this.
> 
> Follows immediately after The Oath

Gostegion was still pacing the large clearing nervously. Flint first and then Rhiannon had left at the sound of the calling bell and now only the black dragon and a little green and orange Whirlwind were waiting for their turn. When the bell rang again, Gostegion practically jumped out of her skin and a small group of trees behind her paid the price for it, getting smashed to bits by her heavy tail. The little dragon, Twister, if Gostegion remembered correctly, chuckled and gave her an encouraging smile.

“Leave me a pretty one will you?” Twister said, with a soft deep voice as she nodded towards the parade grounds.

Gostegion rolled her eyes but couldn’t help offering a small grin back. “As long as I manage not to have them all end up like those trees.” The black dragon replied, with chagrin, as she spread out her wings and took off.

The small stretch of trees separating the clearing from the parade grounds fell away in moments, and then she was flying over the expanse of smooth green grass. She swept over the loose circle of men and women waiting for her and her stomach flip-flopped in anticipation and fear, all the questions she had asked the Dragon Master coming back in a rush, but with a definite flick of her tail, she pushed them again to the back of her mind. This was not the time for doubts but for action.

She landed in front of the assembled officers easily and carefully tucked her tail against her side, it would really not do to send a few humans flying into the air, especially when one of them could be her future Captain. The small dragon took a deep breath and released it slowly, before she spoke the ritual words.

“I am here to look for a Captain, a human companion to share my world with.  
I am here to find a man or a woman who will stand up with me in war and in peace,  
who will suffer and rejoice with me through the years.  
I am here to choose someone who will fight alongside me  
when the need of our Queen and our country demand it.  
Is there anyone among those assembled here today who believes him or herself worthy?”

By the time she was done, her anxiety had receded, leaving behind a strange calm she’d never experienced before. The officers’ in chorus reply to her words only soothed her more, while at the same time nudging her gently to move. She made one careful revolution of the large circle, at first taking in their scents, her sensitive nostrils flaring a few times as a strong feeling of recognition hit her but she kept on moving until she had completed the first pass. The second time she looked at their faces, each man or woman a startling different mix of skin, hair and eye colours.

She wasn’t even halfway around her second pass when a set of eyes caught her attention and she stopped immediately in front of their owner. Blinking slowly, she took in the man who seemed to have inexplicably jarred something inside of her. From what she’d learnt about ranks during her training he was a Lieutenant but she didn’t have enough experience with humans to know how young he was. He had no grey or white in his dark hair like humans tended to show as they aged and like all the other officers he looked fit and in his prime.

His eyes though were different, she didn’t know what the word for the colour was but they seemed to change with every flicker of the morning light. One moment they were green and the next blue, then one more breath and she could see a speckle of yellow in them as well. As she tilted her head to catch a glimpse of grey, Gostegion noticed the man was watching her too and before she realised what she was doing she had already spoken.

“Will you be my Captain?” If it hadn’t been for the bright smile on the man’s face at her words she would have groaned out loud. She had rehearsed the ceremonial words enough times to start actually dreaming them, and then she had to go and make a spectacle out of herself. Gostegion could clearly see Flint’s exasperated expression in her mind once the Dragon Master was going to hear about this.

The human didn’t seem put off though. The bright smile was followed by a quick “Of course.” and a moment later she was lowering herself to help him up to his spot at the base of her neck. They were already in flight by the time Gostegion remembered she didn’t even know her new Captain’s name but the human’s bright smile was only followed by a delighted laugh at her question.

“It’s Lyle, Captain Jon Lyle.”

And whatever remaining embarrassment Gostegion felt at the unorthodox way the ceremony had gone vanished at the pride which filled her new Captain’s voice.


End file.
